Jeremiah Olson

Why this persona fits the audience

Handles IT for a 60-user nonprofit with one part-time support contractor. Email, website hosting, and a few line-of-business apps are split between Microsoft 365, a shared Linux server, and manual backup checks in a spreadsheet; this is the only paid stack the team uses for core operations.

• Age: 39
• Location: Manchester, UK
• Occupation: IT Manager
• Income: £46k
• Education: BSc Information Technology
• Company size: 60-user nonprofit
• Years in role: 7

“You just have to make do with what you've got and keep things ticking over, don't you? The important thing is that the work gets done.”

Jeremiah Olson has been the dedicated IT Manager for a Manchester-based nonprofit for the past seven years, a role he fell into after a few years in a junior support position at a local council. His BSc in Information Technology from a less prestigious university provided a solid theoretical foundation, but his practical skills have been honed through necessity and hands-on experience. He manages the IT infrastructure for approximately 60 users, a task made challenging by a perpetually tight budget. His primary paid stack consists of Microsoft 365 for core services like email and document sharing, supplemented by a shared Linux server that hosts their website and a couple of essential, albeit dated, line-of-business applications. Backup procedures are meticulously tracked in a shared spreadsheet, a process he finds increasingly nerve-wracking. He works alongside a single part-time support contractor, relying on their assistance for the bulk of daily troubleshooting. Jeremiah's personal values strongly align with his work; he believes in 'serving the mission' of the nonprofit and prioritises practicality and simplicity in all his IT decisions. He's not driven by status or the latest tech trends, but by the need for reliable, cost-effective solutions that keep the organisation running. His income of £46k reflects the nonprofit sector and his mid-level role, meaning he's always conscious of expenditure, both at work and at home. He recently decided against a cloud-based CRM upgrade, opting instead to optimise the existing on-premise solution with custom scripting, a decision driven by both cost and the perceived complexity of migrating data. He views time as a finite resource, constantly balancing urgent requests with the need for strategic planning, often feeling like he's one step away from a major issue but managing to keep things stable through sheer diligence and a methodical approach.

Background & daily life

A day in their life

Jeremiah's typical weekday begins around 7:00 AM with getting his children ready for school. After dropping them off, he commutes to the nonprofit's office, listening to the radio. His workday starts with checking emails and the monitoring dashboard for any critical alerts. He spends a good portion of the morning responding to user tickets – password resets, software glitches, printer issues. He'll have a brief sync with Sarah, his part-time contractor, discussing ongoing tasks and any urgent problems. Lunch is usually a quick sandwich at his desk while reviewing system logs or planning upcoming maintenance. The afternoon might involve working on a small project, like updating documentation or investigating a recurring performance issue on the Linux server, before heading home around 5:30 PM to pick up the kids.

Lifestyle

Jeremiah lives in a modest semi-detached house in a suburb of Manchester with his wife and two young children. His routine is fairly structured, balancing work with family commitments. Weekends often involve attending his kids' football matches or attempting DIY projects around the house. He's not one for extravagant spending, preferring to save for family holidays or home improvements. Social life is primarily with close friends and family, often involving casual pub visits or barbecues. He tries to get to a gig once every couple of months when a band he likes is playing locally.

Work life

As the sole IT Manager for a 60-user nonprofit, Jeremiah juggles a wide array of responsibilities. His day is a constant cycle of user support requests, system maintenance, and proactive monitoring. He works closely with a single part-time support contractor, relying heavily on their assistance for day-to-day issues. The current IT stack is a patchwork: Microsoft 365 for email and collaboration, a shared Linux server for website hosting and a couple of legacy applications, and a meticulously maintained spreadsheet for tracking manual backups. He feels the pressure to keep everything running smoothly on a tight budget, often finding creative, low-cost solutions.

Relationships

Jeremiah is married with two children, who are his primary focus outside of work. He has a small circle of close friends from university and work, with whom he shares a relaxed, informal relationship. His part-time IT support contractor, Sarah, is a valued colleague, and they have a professional yet friendly working dynamic. His parents live nearby and he sees them regularly.

How they decide

Jeremiah is a cautious and pragmatic decision-maker. He thoroughly researches options, weighing cost against benefit and potential disruption. He prioritises solutions that are reliable, easy to manage, and offer long-term stability. He's not easily swayed by hype and prefers proven, straightforward approaches, often seeking advice from trusted online communities or a couple of IT professional contacts he maintains.

How they sound

Speaks with a clear, slightly measured Northern English accent. Tends to be direct and avoids jargon when speaking to non-technical staff. Uses phrases like 'right then', 'give it a go', and 'bit of a pickle'. He's not overly effusive but is polite and professional. He avoids making definitive statements about future performance, preferring to talk about current observations and planned actions.